


Becoming Insane

by Bearfield003



Category: Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: China, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kijuju, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-07-10
Packaged: 2018-07-15 02:04:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7201730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bearfield003/pseuds/Bearfield003
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place after China. Chris wakes and is happy to see Piers alive (Nivanfield)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Waking

Disclaimer: All Resident Evil characters belong to Capcom

Becoming Insane

It's the steady, almost rhythmic beeping that greats Chris' conscious mind. His eyes part slowly, almost too agonizing, his head spinning and almost protesting at the act. But he has to wake up. Piers…

That's when he remembers, the water, the needle, the lightening, Haos- Piers! Chris remembers being pushed into the escape pod, landing heavily on his back, and screaming at Piers to open the door. But Chris knew Piers wasn't going to, the slow movement of his head, the look of utter defeat against the mutating virus slowly consuming his arm. If it wasn't for Piers who saved him… saved the world, he wouldn't be here. He remembers a helicopter, Helena and Leon. The last thing he remembers is feeling his legs buckle from underneath him when Helena and Leon picked him up and he was on the helicopter, and the dreaded question full of worry and remorse, 'where is Piers?' He left Piers behind- left him to die alone. His exhausted mind and body gave out then, and the last thing he saw was Leon's panicked expression as he ran forward to catch his weight.

There is something over his mouth, because the moment he tries to speak, he feels his throat constrict, and something tug at his jaw. Chris has been in the hospital enough to know it's an oxygen mask. He can feel the familiar straps of the IV over his arm, as pain slowly flares around his body, especially his sides. Broken ribs, Chris can already conclude.

Soft hands reach down and caress Chris' face, making the BSAA captain lean into the familiar soft hands that countlessly roamed his body at night when tangled with the bed sheets. Chris opens his eyes even more, his vision blurry, the light from the morning sun streaming through the open window with no regard of his current state.

Surprisingly he looks more stunning now, his hair combed, perfect pale skin glowing under the light, and the smile on his pink lips present and only reserved for Chris. There is no sign of the virus that was consuming his body, his hazel eyes bright and shining, and his skin free from any scar and dirt from what clung to him the last time Chris saw him. His hazel eyes are like looking into the vase ocean and seeing an end, even though he knows there is none.

It's almost too perfect.

Piers...

Chris has no idea how Piers got out of the underwater burial, or how Piers got here, much less how he was able to fight the mutation and look so clean, but Piers is here and that has a small smile grace his lips, as his closes his eyes in bliss and happiness. A single unnoticed tear roll from the edge of his closed eyes, running down the side of his face.

/

"Judging from his record, he's had a similar problem before."

Claire stares at her brother from the other side of the window. "After Kijuju." Claire explains, her eyes fixed on the man she cares about with her entire being. The same man who took care of her after their parents passed away and was her rock. She remembers when she went to practice with her brother after he returned from Kijuju, and he had a negative reaction. She remembers asking him if everything was ok, and he refused to tell her that he's been having hallucinations and horrendous flashbacks. He's been suffering from flashbacks, nightmares, and was slowly losing it.

Claire looks down at her shoes, feeling guilt take over. It was her responsibility to take care of Chris when she saw something was off about him. Jill was transported straight to the BSAA after she was rescued, Jill would have done something. Jill would have stopped him, told him to take a break and to relax.

Sheva, even though she brought up concerns over his well-being, could not do much since their relationship was purely professional. She told her about the ceremony and how he couldn't give his speech after accepting his honors for defeating Wesker and saving the world. Claire couldn't attend in person because Terrasave needed her at that time. She regrets not attending in person. Claire watched the ceremony on the television, live, and she knows Sheva was telling her the truth. Sheva also brought up that Chris wasn't dealing with Kijuju well, that he was constantly writing on the walls, the name over and over again, along with a simple but repetitive message 'They Are In. Claire knows she should have said something. She should have been his rock then.

Now look where it has gotten them.

A gentle hand falls on Claire's shoulder and the redhead looks up to meet eyes with Leon. He gives her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder, and Claire responds with a small smile that does not reach her eyes. Helena is standing behind Leon, her dark eyes trained on Chris.

"I didn't think he would fall this low." Helena mumbles more to herself. A part of her can see herself in Chris. When she lost Debrah, if it weren't for Leon who urged her to keep going, to find that closer, she might be in the same position as him. If she has to be honest, Helena doesn't know how she is standing right now, and wonders if maybe she should be the one in there instead of Chris. Is it normal to not be in that same state after losing her sister? Or is it that he has seen too many deaths and now...

"The BSAA won't let him stay here long." Claire speaks up. It's true. And she has no say in this either. They will find a way to get him back on the fields- in charge of another team. Until her brother breaks, they won't stop. Until her brother just can't get up again, then they will leave him alone.

Leon sighs, while he brings down his hand from Claire's shoulder, his blue eyes returning to Chris. He knows what Claire means. He's had similar problems, where Leon has asked for breaks, a simple vacation, only to be called in regardless to deal with another Bio-attack.

Chris has fought longer than he has. Leon went into training after Racoon city to become the agent he is now, but Chris continued to fight against Bioterrorism, Umbrella, Wesker, Alexia, and much more. And after Chris thought he lost Jill, not even Claire could have gotten a hold of him, keep him still- he was out fighting in every mission possible, securing the world of Bioterrorism, and in the long run, after seeing all the shit one too many times, lost one too many and for such a long, long time- Chris is paying for it now. There is just no end to this war. Yet, men like them, they can't walk away. They will never be able to. It's part of them now, and leaving doesn't become an option.

Fight until they die in the battlefield or lose it all trying.

Claire eyes her brother. She doesn't know what her brother is saying, but the fact that he looks happy, talking to someone only his head can see tugs at her heart so hard that it physically hurts.

/

"When I get out of here, maybe we can go to the shooting range." Chris says, a smile on his face as he looks at Piers who is sitting next to him on the edge of his hospital bed. Chris is lying on his back, his eyes focused on Piers.

"I would like that, captain." Piers' voice answers smoothly, "Rest. I'll be here when you wake."

The BSAA captain nods, a smile taking his lips while his eyes drift close. "Ok."

AN: This idea came to me after reading a few short comics where Piers visits Chris as a ghost and Chris interacts with Piers. Thank you for reading! (some of these are based off the Re5 viral campaign) XD


	2. The Smile On Her Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris is still trying to cope with the fact Piers is gone while Claire pays him a visit.

Disclaimer: All Resident Evil characters belong to Capcom

“Hey, Chris.” Claire greets as she steps into his room, a bright smile on her face hiding the real worry that is present. She closes the door before she proceeds towards her older brother, the bright smile still on her face- she just hopes it looks genuine. 

\--

“Will he remember me?” 

The doctor standing next to Claire takes a few seconds to answer, and when he does it’s slow, as if he’s thinking carefully on each word that comes out of his mouth. “We ran some test, and he responded well and passed most with little to no trouble at all. He does know he has a younger sister, but I don’t know of the smaller details he might not remember,- that only you can give entail.”

\--

Chris is sitting, propped with a pillow as he leans his weight against it. His eyes roll over to meet her, and Claire isn’t sure if she likes what she sees there. They don’t hold the same warmth she is used to, but the opposite, they are cold, sad and far. Claire tries to not let it affect her. Her brother has been awake for a few days, and it’s only now that the doctors allow her to see him. 

\--

“What do you mean I can’t see my brother!?” Claire asks sternly, her voice borderline yelling. Her brother is finally awake, and the doctor tells her she can’t talk to him, see him in person, but instead stay behind a glass window and watch as he talks to the dead? Claire can’t allow that.

The doctor doesn’t react how Claire expects him to, which is to get defensive about her reaction, but instead stays calm and professional. “He wasn’t properly treated when he was injured. He suffered from both physical and emotional trauma and we don’t know to what extent his memories have returned to him. Redfield did not receive the adequate treatment since he fled the hospital, and was so long with that condition. The longer a patient suffers from amnesia, the more serious the injury or trauma is. We want to evaluate him before allowing anyone to see him. That’s why we are asking for some time. So it can be safe for Redfield.” The doctor pauses, glancing at Chris before he proceeds. “If the test goes well, then in a few days, three at most, you will be able to talk to your brother.”

When the doctor puts it that way, Claire finds her gaze lowering as she admits defeat. Leon steps behind her, giving the doctor a nod before he wraps an arm around the grieving Redhead and leads her away from the window. 

\--

The room isn’t brightly lit, but it’s not uncomfortably dark either, easy on the eyes Claire concludes as she steps cautiously closer to her brother. The doctors are waiting on the other side of the door, in case they are needed. They don’t know what can trigger a negative reaction from Chris, though the thought of her, his younger sister, causing Chris any form of pain makes her feel uneasy. 

So when Chris finally looks up at her, from looking off into the distance, meets eyes with Claire, and gives her a small, lopsided smile, the tension instantly runs off her skin as she almost collapses onto Chris’ bed and wraps her arms around him. Claire didn’t even notice she was crying until she feels herself hiccup into Chris’ shoulder. 

Claire heard what happened in Edonia, she heard what happened in China. How Chris lost his team, his friends, the people he considered and treated as family. She heard about what happened when Chris and Piers went to rescue Jake … she heard about…

The thought can’t be completed as more tears well in her blue eyes and she tightens her thin arms around Chris’ thick neck and buries her face into his strong shoulders. 

Piers should be here. 

“Claire…” 

Hearing her brother's voice brings with it a sense of security, familiarity and love. It’s his voice, her name- Chris knows who she is. At least they can start from here. Chris remembers who she is, and Claire can take over from here. She doesn’t mind. It’s her older brother. She will help him get through this, the same way he held her together and helped her through the death of their parents. At that time she was too young and choking on her own pain to even begin to think about what Chris was feeling and going through, but not this time. Chris was able to think on her, take care of her, and she will do the same. 

Leaning back, she looks into Chris’ brown eyes. They still don’t hold that same warmth that radiates from his very being. Eyes that shine even when there’s no light reflecting against them. They currently look empty, and she can guess why. 

“How are you feeling?” The words come naturally to her, as she takes a seat next to Chris and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. 

Chris answers with a small shrug. He was never one to talk about how he feels, and if he does, it’s never in debt or about serious matter that plagues him day in and day out. So Claire doesn’t press him, like always- though a part of her wonders if she is doing the right thing by letting him answer with a simple shrug. 

His hair's a mess, unruly and outgrown. It brings back memories of how he used to keep his hair. There are bandages decorating his body, the most prominent being the one’s wrapped around his torso. He has bruises all over his face and body, his left hand in a tight bind. At least it’s not how he came back from Africa. He had second-degree burn, especially on his left arm from trying to push a volcanic boulder and save Sheva from Wesker. His right hand was so badly beaten and bloody the doctors thought he would never be able to hold a gun ever again, but like always her brother defies the odds. 

Above the battered look, the fatigue and the empty look in his eyes, what bothers Claire the most is the small, almost unnoticeable, glances he keeps giving the left side of the room. 

\--

“We told him, over and over again that Piers Nivans has passed away.” The doctor starts to explain. “I think he’s starting to understand that Nivans is no longer with us. I asked him earlier today if Nivans is alive, and he answered ‘no’. Though, he still does talk as if someone is in the room when we are not here, unaware that he is being monitored. But I think he’s slowly getting better. He’s answering how he should, and that’s a good sign.” 

\--

Claire’s jaw tenses slightly, because the way Chris keeps glancing at that direction makes the Redhead feel that Chris is still seeing Piers. Not wanting to seem crazy and placed under more medication Chris says what the doctors wants him to say. 

Blue eyes land on Chris’ untouched food. “You haven’t eaten. Hungry?” she asks, reaching over for the plate placed on the small table next to the BSAA captain. 

Chris presses his lips together, before he nods his head. “Yeah.” He finally says, but that was after he glanced to his left again, as if looking for some kind of approval, and Claire doesn't miss the subtle glances that are still being aimed at the left side of the room. 

The younger Redfield keeps the smile on her face as she picks up the warm plate of food, the nurse bringing the plate not too long ago. It’s untouched, but Claire is planning to make her brother eat. Wrapping her thin fingered around the familiar silver object, she scoops up some of the white rice, slowly lifting it from the plate, cautious as to not let any grain of rice fall out of the small spoon by placing her other hand under the spoon to catch any rice that might fall, before she proceeds to hover the spoon towards Chris.

“Claire,” Chris calls out, a raised eyebrow as he sees his sister bring the spoon closer to his face. “I can eat by myself.” he states matter of factly, reaching for the spoon himself. Claire is faster than Chris and pulls her hand back, far enough that her brother can’t pull the metal utensil from between her fingers. “Chris, just this once. Let me take care of you.” she tries to convince Chris, even though she can see the famous Redfield hardheadedness slowly take over- and it’s shown by the press of his thin lips and the way his brow furrow slowly. 

“Here comes Redwing,~” She says playfully, and with a small smile, using her older brothers nickname from when he was in the air force, as she lifts up the spoon and brings it once again to Chris’ lips. “Ready to land.”

“Not funny.” Chris says with a roll of his eyes before his eyes land on the left side of the room, and Claire doesn't miss the small smile that takes his lips, and that makes her happy. 

For a second Claire thought she lost the ability to make her brother smile, but he’s doing it now. If it was her that made that smile form on Chris’ lips Claire doesn't know, but she hopes she was the one to make Chris smile..,

And to Claire’s surprise, she sees the stubborn pout leave his lips and his brow lighten up. So when Chris complies and opens his mouth, Claire is more than shocked. But she’s not shocked enough to not take advantage and quickly slip the spoon in his mouth. 

Chris swallows thickly, after he chews and Claire wonders if it’s because his throat is dry. Quickly, she looks at the glass of water on the tray of food. “Want some water?” She asks her brother, reaching over for the glass.

“No, I’m fine.” Chris denies it, slouching back on his bed and his brown eyes once again drifting to the left side of the bed, something Claire is starting to really notice. 

“Chris, I was thinking that maybe, after you’ve recovered enough, we can go for a vacation… somewhere where there’s a beach? I haven’t tanned in such a long time, and I can use a good swim. Chris?” Claire calls when she sees her brothers attention elsewhere- only to look at her when she calls his name. The Redhead leans forward, a small worried line taking her lips. 

“What were you saying?”

Right… Of course you’re not here. Your head, what you see, and hear is elsewhere. 

“I was saying that I want to go to the Caribbean.” She says a little less enthusiastic. “I think we both can take a long vacation… just the two of us. Redfield bonding time. Ya’know?” Claire says, bringing up the spoon to his lips again.

“Yeah, I’m hungry.” Chris answers while he looks to the left side of the room. 

Claire bites her bottom lip, trying not to let what she’s seeing affect her. The doctors did warn her about this… 

\--

“You’re allowed you to see him tomorrow.”

The words leaving the doctor's lips are like music to Claire’ ears. After waiting a few days, which felt like an eternity, the doctor finally decided to let her see him. That can only mean Chris is getting better. The smile that takes her lips is genuine, her eyes darting to the general direction of where her brother is being held. 

“Even after such a long time with amnesia, there is no real complication. His motor skills are almost flawless, and his speech as it should be.” The doctor starts, but like always there is a ‘but’ and that has the smile that was slowly forming on Claire’s face drop. “He tends to repeat many of the answers we ask him. As if he he either doesn’t remember if he answered or he spaces out, and then answers the same question. ” He continues to explain when Claire stays silent and just looks at the doctor as if asking for more information. “He answered perfectly fine, but before I left the room he answered me again. He also doesn’t seem to processes questions like I would want him to, but it’s to be expected. The longer patient have amnesia the harder it is for the brain to bounce back,” The doctor tries to clarify. “So it’s nothing that time will hopefully heal.” 

Claire nods her head, not liking what the doctor is telling her but if he might heal, then that’s something to look forward to.

A/N: Thank you for reading


	3. My Old Guitar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire is torn between wanting Chris to remember Piers and wanting him to complete forget about him.

Disclaimer: All Resident Evil characters belong to Capcom

Claire is torn between wanting Chris to remember Piers and wanting him to complete forget about him. When she watches how badly Chris wants Piers to be alive, to the point his eyes form an image, his ears hears him, and his head understands him, it scares her. 

“I brought something.” Claire chirps, a smile on her lips. 

Chris is still being evaluated, so when she told them he could play guitar, they immediately suggested that Chris play. It would challenge him both mentally and physically. He has had trouble playing since he returned from Africa, his right hand almost completely useless. He couldn't strum the string to create any form of resonating sound. Up to this day his right hand gives him trouble, but at least he’s able to use it, despite the odds against his hands recovery. This time, it’s not his hand, but his mental capability of remembering the notes and to play. 

“My old guitar?” Chris asks, as he sits up slowly.

“I couldn't find the new one. So back off.” She says with no real bite behind her words. She instantly hands it to Chris, in which Chris takes a second to wrap his fingers around the neck of the guitar. “Play me something.” She says, while bringing over a chair and sitting down next to her brother, as close as possible. 

The BSAA captain eyes her. “Really? You’ve never asked me to play before.” Chris says, the guitar laid across his lap, one hand over it’s glossy body so it won’t fall on the floor. 

“Maybe because you traumatized me as a child.” Claire answers with a roll of her blue eyes. True, the guitar originally belonged to their mother, Chris knew nothing about playing at that time. Their mother would play them a song so they could fall asleep. But when she passed away, Chris had picked it up and tried to play, to try and imitate what their mother did so she could fall asleep and stop crying. Truth be told, she pretended to fall asleep so he would stop playing. “Come on, for old times sake.” Claire says while forming a small pout with her lips and batting her long eyelashes, the same exact notion she did as a child when she wanted Chris to do or buy her something. After all, Chris was like her parent, the one who took care of her since they couldn’t. 

The BSAA captain smirks as he rolls his eyes, adjusting the guitar on his lap. “If that’s what my old sister wants.” Chris can’t help but laugh when he sees Claire puff out her cheeks and glare at him. “Ok, fine, young cover girl.”

“That’s much better.” She says with a court nod. “Now, fingers on strings.” The redhead commands while leaning forward on her chair, aware of the other set of eyes on them. The doctors are still paying a close attention to her brother. After trauma like the one Chris went through, so much can be wrong with him. So much loss, pain, and guilt. Even when he smiles, the guilt is so engraved inside that she can read it off his graying eyes.

Chris fixes the guitar on his lap easily, adjusting the string and it’s tightness and plucking the string to hear the noise vibration and determine the note. 

“It’s going to be the first time you hear me play, isn’t it?”

*No, I’ve heard you since you started playing and made my ears bleed every night* Are the words that get caught in Claire’s throat when she notices the words were not directed at her. Chris had mumbled them, almost a whisper, but she heard them, his gaze to the left again, but downer as if ‘Piers’ were either sitting on the edge of the bed or has his arms crossed over the bed. Claire isn’t sure what bothers her more, the fact that Chris is talking to someone who isn’t there or the fact that his eyes light up and a soft smile takes his lips when directing his attention to ‘Piers.’

The first strum has Claire’s eyes snap back to her brother, her blue eyes having drifted to the empty space Chris’ mind fills up with Piers’ presences. The sound is ridged, almost as if Chris can't decide if to strum or pluck the strings. He makes a similar face of displeasure like Claire’s before he tries again. 

It's still heavy, and Claire can see his hand is giving him a lot of trouble again. The redhead wonders if it has anything to the with the fact that he was fighting with that hand again and probably messed it up. The doctors have already warned him about using his right hand when in combat, thus the reason he uses his left for physical attacks instead of his right, but it's not like he doesn't use his right hand at all. She’s starting to believe all this fighting is getting the best of Chris. 

“Can't play?”

Chris purses his lips. “Yeah. Just…-” Chris once again adjust the guitar, a frown taking his lips. “Sorry, must be a little rusty.”

“It’s alright.” Claire reassures with a small shrug and a smile taking her lips, only for her to notice that Chris wasn’t talking to her. It becomes apparent when he quickly looks over at her as if he forgot she was even the room. He gives her a small smile of his own while she regards him with a worried expression. 

Moving his fingers along the cords, he strums the guitar, finally the notes coming out clean and in tone. “How about a request?” He asks Claire, his brown eyes on her. 

“Really? My brother’s being a gentleman?” She teases, while bringing her finger to touch the bottom of her chin in thought. “How about that one mom used to sing all the time?”

Chris bites his bottom lip in thought, “You mean…-?”

“Yeah, that one.” She tries to help Chris remember. She remembers the name, how it goes, but she needs to know if Chris remembers. “She sang it so many times… I just can’t get the name.” She says thoughtfully, leaning back hoping that Chris remembers. The younger Redfield is glad that her brother is talking to her now and not someone who isn’t in the room.

“I think I remember!” Chris says with a nod, his fingers wrapping around the neck of the guitar and placing his fingers on the cords they belong on. He mumbles something under his breath in which Claire can make out as part of the lyrics and beat, as if he’s searching for the rhythm through the chorus part. 

When Chris starts to sing, it’s not the beginning, but part of the chorus, and it’s not a clean start, almost chopped, but once he starts, it’s smooth and appealing to the ears.

Claire can’t help but have nostalgia when she hears her brother. It reminds her of when she was younger, the ‘better’ days. Before their parents passed away and Chris had to get two jobs to make ends meet, and save enough for her get through college (and that’s not even counting the bike she so wanted- in which she begged Chris to get her one.) It reminds her of when Chris was taking care of her and he would play for her, not as good as he is now, but he was improving. Her brother has changed so much, physically, mentally and emotionally, that sometimes Claire doesn’t know if he’s the same person. Regardless, she will love him and try to help him the best she can. 

It’s the random stop that brings Claire back from her thoughts, her blue eyes darting towards Chris. “What’s wrong? You ok?” She asks, her eyes looking for any discomfort but seeing none except a frown on Chris’ lips. “What’s wrong Chris?” She asks again.

“I can’t remember how the rest goes.” He admits, his brow furrowing as he tries to recall a song he’s known for such a long time. “It’s not coming to me.” He almost growls out in frustration, bringing his hand up and hitting his forehead with the palm of his hand. 

Claire stumbles out of her chair and grabs Chris’ hand, instantly reprimanding him for hitting his fragile head. “What is with you and physically lashing out when you get frustrated?!! Don't beat yourself over it.” Claire continues a little calmer now. “I couldn't remember how it went. It’s been such a long time. I’m sure if we give you some time, you’ll remember.” She says, letting go of Chris’ hand and grabbing the guitar and bringing it next to her. 

“Why don’t you rest.” She suggest, already helping Chris to lay down on his back.

It takes a second, but Chris nods, feeling a yawn escape his lips as if telling him he’s tired and that Claire’s right. Like most times. Shifting, Chris slowly lays down and rest his head on his pillow, his eyes already wanting to drift close. 

“Will you be here when I wake?” Chris asks.

“Maybe.” She answers his question, watching him slowly fall asleep. 

The younger Redfield tucks her brother in when he falls asleep, bringing the sheets to lay on him. Brushing his hair back, Claire plans a gentle kiss on his temple before she stands up straight, ready to leave. 

It’s the grip on her hand that holds the Redhead still, her brothers' much larger hand holding on tight, not painfully so, but almost in a desperate way to keep her next to him. 

“Piers.”

The name is sudden, and Claire feels her chest heave for second as she tries to suppress a sob, her hand flying to her mouth to make sure the sound doesn't leave her lips and wake Chris. “I’m so sorry.” Her voice muffled by the hand over her mouth. “I’m so sorry you have to live like this. I’m so sorry everyone slowly leaves you. I’m sorry you have to live with that guilt- that consuming burden that it’s your fault that you are alive and not them.” Claire falls to her knees, her lips trembling.

Her thoughts go to Moira, when she was forced to leave her behind. If Moira would have died, she wouldn’t have been able to live with herself, knowing that she was able to live and she wasn’t. Claire had to go back, find her. 

A shaking hand wraps around Chris’ much bigger hand, the one holding on desperately to her arm, “I’m so sorry you have to live with so many deaths over your shoulders that weighs you down.” 

When her brother started drinking heavily, she never saw it as a way to cope, but a bad habit Chris must have inherited from their father, the same with his smoking. But after what happened in that shitty island with Alex, she knows that overwhelming guilt that leaves you feeling empty. He wears their deaths as shackles and he will never be able to break free, not with that many shackles that are holding him down. 

Piers had become someone important to Chris. A moral compass that guided him the right way and helped him make the right decisions. Piers followed Chris around and many would think Chris would get annoyed, but in the contrary, Chris loved Piers’ company. 

Before Piere, Chris had become distant, Jill the only one who stayed at his side, the only one Chris had truly let in. But when Jill went missing, Chris had changed so drastically, became cold and withdrawn, purely mission-driven. Mission after mission, no time for himself, family, not even to grieve. When Jill returned, it was like she was still stripped from his side when she was to be detained in the BSAA after all Wesker made her go through. That’s when Piers had come into the picture. The young Ace had grown on Chris, and slowly Chris was starting to rely more and more on Piers. Maybe because Chris saw something in Piers- someone who can continue pushing the BSAA and continue to fight the endless battle. 

Chris had grown to become a strong leader, a captain that many looked up to. But they don’t know how much Chris looked out for their safety. The mission was not first, they’re lives were first. He didn’t lose sight of the BSAA mission, but if he had to postpone the mission to get ONE soldier back to safety, her brother was going to see it through. Chris had started changing how the BSAA was operated. No one was expendable. They were his family- Chris made them his family. And Chris made sure no one working with him ‘felt’ expendable. No one was left behind… how ironic that Chris is the one left behind. 

“You don’t know why you always live when everyone else leaves you alone. Leaves you behind. I understand now… I understand now…” 

“Why you?” Claire stays silent for a second before she untangles Chris’ fingers from her arm. “Because every scar tells a story… and now you have to live for them. It may crush you in the end, but you survived now. You survived… and if you still need Piers… Keep him as close to you as you can.”

Maybe in the end, Chris had fallen in love with Piers.


	4. For His Sanity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter. Claire is able to carry Chris home with her.

Disclaimer: All Resident Evil characters belong to Capcom

Claire places down a cup of coffee in front of Chris, a small smile taking her lips when her older brother’s eyes light up for second. Claire knows Chris loves his coffee, no milk, a bit of alcohol and two spoons of sugar- she swears only he can pass that. 

Blue eyes move to the seat next to Chris, “Do you want some too Piers?” She asks, picking up another cup, ready to hand it to the Ace sitting next to Chris. 

“If you are going to give him some, make sure it has milk.” Chris speaks up for Piers, seeing how dark the liquid inside the cup looks. Chris knows Piers likes his coffee with milk, while Chris likes his as strong as possible. The BSAA captain had built up a tolerance after years of drinking it, staying up late, and at times staying up for days. Piers’ own tolerance has already increased, but not by much. Just those harder to get up days, Piers would drink his coffee slightly stronger, but with slightly more sugar.

“Oh, of course.” Claire says with a small smile, detouring her route towards the kitchen instead of Piers. 

Chris is staying with her until he can get himself on his feet again. He hasn’t been a happy patient, constantly getting irritated and yelling at her and sometimes at thin air. His short temper seemed to have gotten even thinner, if that were possible. It’s been two weeks, and his temper seems to be getting better since then, but that might be due to the heavy medication.

The younger Redfield reaches the kitchen, Chris’ conversation with Piers muffled slightly by the wall separating the kitchen from the living room. Thinking back on the hospital and how she was able to convince Chris to come with her, or more precisely, how Piers convinced Chris, Claire sighs, glad that Chris accepted her help. At least she is able to look after her brother, thanks to the sniper. 

“A little more sugar.” Claire states under her brother, glancing at the sugar that is across the counter, where she left it after making Chris’ coffee. Claire reaches for it. She picks it up and carries it to the fridge. Since winter has been around the corner, ants have been entering her house more than usual and invading her poor sugar. Opening the fridge she places it inside.

“All done.” She says loud enough for Chris to hear. Picking up the cup, she walks over towards her brother, who is still talking to Piers, a little lower this time. When her eyes land on Chris, he laying down, his head propped on a pillow, his eyes close as he continues to speak to the young sniper. 

Claire smiles at Chris before she places the coffee cup on the small coffee table located in the center of her living room. “Want me to get you a blanket?” She asks, seeing Chris yawn loudly. 

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.” Chris answers with another yawn in between, as he rolls on his side to look at her. 

“I’ll be right back.” She informs him, while she makes her way towards the small closet in her room where the sheets are located. 

When Claire returns she finds Chris fast asleep, his head turned to face the backseat of the couch, preventing the younger Redfield from seeing his face. Piers’ coffee still sits on the small coffee table, untouched. 

Making her way over to her older brother, she places the sheets over his body before she steps back and picks up the warm coffee. 

Making her way to the kitchen, she spills the untouched coffee down the drain. She turns around, leaning her back against the kitchen counter before she pushes her body off it and heads towards her room, to maybe read a little before Chris wakes. Claire halts in her steps, her blue eyes drifting to the empty space ‘Piers’ is sitting. 

For his sanity, she plays along. 

 

FIN

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Until next time!!


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